Kampong Glam is where you eat murtabak, nasi padang and biryani from kitchens that have been here for generations, plus a newer layer of cafes and halal fusion. This guide has 13 places and one you can book free.
The area is small and walkable, with Sultan Mosque at the centre. Bugis MRT is under 10 minutes away on foot, Nicoll Highway MRT is closer to the Beach Road side. The list runs by street: North Bridge Road first, then Kandahar Street and Jalan Pisang, Bussorah Street in front of the mosque, Baghdad and Arab Street, Sultan Gate and Jalan Klapa, and Beach Road last.
Hours come from each venue's own site or socials, checked on 15 October 2026. Halal means what the venue says: MUIS-certified where it holds a certificate, Muslim-owned or halal in its own words otherwise.
The murtabak house that says it was established in 1908. Its own site calls it an Indian-Muslim restaurant famous for nasi briyani and murtabak, open seven days a week. Order a mutton murtabak to share before anything else, it is the reason you came.
Zam Zam's neighbour and rival, founded in 1910 according to the National Heritage Board's Roots listing. Stand at the window for a minute: the dough gets slapped paper-thin, filled with egg and meat and folded on the hotplate in front of you. Then decide for yourself which side of the murtabak war you are on.
Biryani since 1921, according to its own site, from a recipe that started with the master chef of the Alsagoff family. The site spells it beryani and says more than 20 million plates have gone out. It also has a private room it calls The Upper-Room, for up to 30 guests, which helps if you are planning a family event.
Nasi padang from a family that says it has been cooking since 1954, with beef rendang as the dish to judge it by. Its own site calls the food halal. It opens at 7.30am, and the counter is fullest at lunch, so come early for the best pick of the lauk.
The Jalan Pisang original, open since 1992, and its own site says it has been recognised by the Michelin Bib Gourmand. Its signatures are beef rendang, ayam bakar sunda, lemak siput sedut and tahu telur, and its site calls the food halal. Closed Sundays, which catches out a lot of weekend visitors.
The red-and-white corner shop at Bussorah and Baghdad Street, started in 2004 by former footballer Bashir Khan and his late uncle, according to the National Heritage Board. It serves home-cooked Malay dishes at kopitiam prices, and it is the casual seat with a view of the street. Check their socials for current hours before a late visit.
Turkish and Mediterranean cooking near Sultan Mosque since 2005, and its own site notes a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2016. Get the Meze Tabagi, the sharing platter of hummus, babaganoush and dips with warm lavas bread, and build the rest of the meal around it. The kitchen takes last orders at 10pm, late for this street.
A European-style bakery on Bussorah: croissants, sliced cakes, Danish pastries and semla buns on pre-order. It opens at 10am and closes at 7pm or when the shelves are empty, whichever comes first, so mornings are safer. Takeaway a box for the walk to Haji Lane.
Sit-down heritage food designed for sharing, and the group's own site calls it halal dining. It opens to 11pm daily, so it is the Bussorah choice for a proper dinner with family after the shops close. Book ahead on a weekend night.
The tiramisu we keep running into at bazaars, with a permanent shop upstairs on Arab Street. Its Instagram bio said MUIS halal when we checked on 1 October 2026. They also pop up at bazaars, so check @sugarmamalah before you go.
Muslim-owned rice bowls in the style of a New York halal cart: seasoned basmati, chicken, beef or falafel, white sauce and hot sauce. Its Instagram bio says 100% halal ingredients. The owner also runs a pay-what-you-can Blessing Table, which Eventful covered in September 2026.
Muslim-owned Italian with Singapore and Indian flavours: charcoal-base pizzas, handmade gnocchi, butter chicken penne and a 20-minute beef Wellington at $38. The food is halal, it is not MUIS certified. Book free on Eventful Tables, and pick a quiet-hour slot for the deal: Tue to Fri, 10% off food at 12:30pm and from 5:30pm to 7pm, 15% off at 1:30pm, 2pm, 7:30pm and 8pm. Drinks are not included, no discounts on weekends or public holidays, and only 5 bookings per timing.
Nasi lemak in a restored shophouse on Beach Road, and its own site says the plates carry a Michelin Bib Gourmand. The rice is cooked with its own coconut milk, served with marinated chicken or grilled barramundi otah. Reservations come with a minimum spend of $30++ a head at lunch and $40++ at dinner, so this is a sit-down meal, not a quick plate.
Bugis MRT on the East West and Downtown Lines is under 10 minutes on foot from Sultan Mosque. Nicoll Highway MRT on the Circle Line is closer to the Beach Road side. Once you are there, everything in this guide is walkable.
Much of it, but check each place. Sugar Mama Lah's Instagram bio says MUIS halal, Epicurean Fusion is Muslim-owned and halal but not MUIS certified, Overrice is Muslim-owned, and Rumah Makan Minang, Hjh Maimunah and The Malayan Council describe their food as halal. For anywhere else, ask at the counter or search the MUIS halal directory.
The Malayan Council on Bussorah Street runs to 11pm daily, The Coconut Club on Beach Road to 10.30pm, and Alaturka to 10.30pm with last orders at 10pm. The heritage shops on North Bridge Road open daily, check their socials for closing times.
The nasi padang counters at Rumah Makan Minang and Hjh Maimunah, where you pay for what you pick. A shared murtabak at Zam Zam or Victory also goes a long way.
Street parking in the conserved shophouse lanes is limited, so most people take the MRT. If you drive, use a public carpark on the Beach Road or North Bridge Road side and walk in.
Epicurean Fusion takes online bookings for up to 6 people on Eventful Tables, free to book, with 10% to 15% off food at its Tue to Fri quiet-hour timings, limited to 5 bookings per timing. For a bigger party, Islamic Restaurant has a private room it calls The Upper-Room for up to 30 guests.